This page explains how a guide on Smooth Skin Daily is made, where its information comes from, and what happens when research changes or we get something wrong.
Choosing what to write about
We look at what people in the US search for about Korean skincare, from snail mucin to sunscreen filters. Some guides exist because a popular idea needs context, such as the belief that a Korean routine needs ten steps.
Our owner makes Pebble body care, and Pebble sells an exfoliating glove, a product type that some of our body care guides discuss. There’s more on that connection on our ownership page.
Where our information comes from
- Peer-reviewed studies, found through PubMed and PubMed Central
- Dermatology guidance, mainly from the American Academy of Dermatology and Cleveland Clinic
- The FDA, for what US sunscreens and cosmetics may contain
- Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) and the text of Korean cosmetics law, for Korean rules and terms such as “functional cosmetic”
- Korean government and news sources, such as Korea.net and The Korea Herald, for bathhouse culture and history
A brand’s own website is cited only for facts about its own product, such as a percentage printed on its label, and the guide names it as the brand’s figure. We don’t treat a brand’s claims as evidence that an ingredient works.
How strong is the evidence?
Many popular K-beauty ingredients have been tested only in small studies, often funded by the companies that make them. Our guides say so when that’s the case, and where it helps, they sort claims by how well the research supports them.
Korean rules, US rules
Korea regulates sunscreen as a cosmetic, while the US regulates it as an over-the-counter drug, so a sunscreen sold in Korea may contain UV filters that US sunscreens can’t. Our sunscreen guides date the FDA rules they describe, so you can see how current they are.
Some Korean terms don’t translate cleanly. Korea’s regulator uses the English word “whitening” for products aimed at dark spots and uneven tone; we describe those products by what they address, such as discoloration.
Skincare isn’t medicine
Serums, moisturizers and sunscreens can make skin look and feel better. They don’t treat disease, and our guides keep that line clear. When a topic reaches the edge of what skincare can do, such as rosacea or a rash that won’t settle, the guide says so and points you to a dermatologist. Choosing a prescription medicine or dose is for you and your doctor, not for us.
When we get it wrong
If a correction changes what a guide tells you, we add a dated note at the end explaining the change; small fixes such as typos are made without a note.
Keeping guides current
When new research or a rule change alters a guide’s advice, we update it and add a short “What changed” note at the end.